Red Sox' Koji Uehara issues a rare walk

Saturday

Apr 19, 2014 at 7:38 PMApr 19, 2014 at 11:07 PM

Orioles catcher Matt Wieters has something to tell his grandchildren now. He worked a walk off Koji Uehara. Wieters was the first batter Uehara faced when the Sox closer came on for the ninth and reached via base on balls.

Wieters was the first batter Uehara faced when the Sox closer came on for the ninth and reached via base on balls. It was the first one issued by Uehara since last Aug. 3, when he walked Arizona's Martin Prado. Including the 2013 postseason, Uehara went 153 batters between walks, covering 43 innings.

Although Uehara struck out the next three Baltimore batters to earn the save on Saturday, he is still not at peak form, he said through a translator. The walk happened because he is still a little fearful of re-injuring his right shoulder.

When that fear will go away, Uehara really doesn't know, but he is making progress.

Victorino returns to field

Shane Victorino began his rehab stint at Pawtucket on Saturday, and the countdown has commenced as to which current Boston outfielder faces an imminent departure.

The Red Sox are committed to seeing how the Grady Sizemore experiment plays out, and while Jackie Bradley Jr. has minor league options left, Farrell said that he is happy with the way Bradley has "solidified" center field defensively.

Sounds like Daniel Nava will be the odd man out. He has options left and is off to a nightmarish start in 2014. Nava got the day off on Saturday.

"Recently, he's elevated some balls, and he has a line-drive stroke," the manager said, evaluating Nava. "He's been pressing at the plate, and we've got to find a way to get him going. He is a key part of our offense."

A year ago at this time, Nava was batting .310 with 18 hits, 15 RBIs, 10 walks, 2 doubles and 4 home runs. Presently his average is .136 with 8 hits, 3 RBIs, 6 walks, 2 doubles and 2 home runs.

Slump at leadoff

Sizemore played right on Saturday and led off. He was good defensively, especially when he went into the corner to grab Adam Jones' tricky fly ball in the third, but had a bad day at the plate.

Sizemore was 0 for 4, and in six games in the leadoff spot, he is 3 for 26 (.115) with one walk, one run and one RBI.

Overall, the four batters manager John Farrell has used at leadoff — Sizemore, Dustin Pedroia, Nava and Jonny Gomes — are 12 for 75 (.160) with seven walks and only eight runs.

Peavy on the mound

Boston's best starting pitcher to date has been Jake Peavy, and he gets the start at 7:05 p.m. Sunday, It is the ESPN game, and the network agreed to move up the first pitch an hour to accommodate the Red Sox' traditional 11:05 a.m. Patriot's Day game on Monday.

Peavy has made three starts and does not have a decision even though his earned run average is 1.93. Boston has scored just four runs during Peavy's 18 innings, and he has left each of his games with the score tied.

The Orioles will counter with Ubaldo Jimenez. He is having a terrible month with a record of 0-3 and a 7.31 ERA.

Buck wins challenge

Orioles manager Buck Showalter challenged a call at first base and won, eventually costing Felix Doubront the win. The Orioles contended that Nelson Cruz was safe on a two-out grounder to third in the sixth. If the call had been upheld, it would have ended the inning with Boston leading, 2-1. Instead, after review, it became an RBI infield single.

The replay also showed that no replay was necessary. Baltimore first base coach Wayne Kirby had it right the first time, giving the safe signal as Cruz crossed the bad.

Bullpen fires blanks

Junichi Tazawa had another scoreless outing and earned his first win of the season. Tazawa is one out away from pitching a bullpen shutout. In 8 innings so far, Uehara has not allowed a run. He has given up 7 hits, walked 1 and struck out 10.

Chris Capuano already has his bullpen shutout. The lefty has pitched nine innings without allowing a run. He has surrendered five hits and a walk and fanned eight.

Diamond Dust

David Ortiz has three homers — a solo one on Saturday, one two-run and one three-run. Saturday's was the 434th of his career, and he is tied for 42nd on baseball's all-time list. … The Sox grounded into three double plays and are minus-nine in that category. They've hit into 22 and turned 13. However, they are plus-10 in hit by pitches, with a 12-2 edge on the opposition. … Boston hit for the cycle as a team for the first time this season and for the first time since Sept. 27, 2013, also against the Orioles.